Reply to How are kids supposed to address professors? Dr., Professor, first name? Daughter got rude reaction

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Not OP and haven't read the thread.

Personally I think honorifics should be done away with entirely. I don't think doctors should insist on Dr. I don't think professors should be Prof. I think the use of honorifics perpetuates power imbalances that on the whole aren't good. Let everyone go by first name. And yes, I have honorifics I could use but I don't.

An adult insisting another adult use a title is just cringeworthy behavior to me. [/quote]

I respect your opinion.  Would you consider reading the NYT article linked in this thread to see if any of the issues outlined there might, in your opinion, warrant an exception?  [/quote]

I will find it and read it.

[b]Mostly I find the insistence on honorifics to be the vestiges of a racist and misogynistic history in which those honorifics were used as a way of keeping people who deserved it on their merits out of power. [/b]

You want respect? Earn it based on your behavior, not by insisting another adult address you with a title.[/quote]
I am a woman of color, PhD holder, and professor and you could not be more off base here. 
[/quote]

Nope. I've been in the trenches myself and I completely disagree with you.[/quote]

DP, I agree with the professor PP.  The NYT article also noted that professors with doctoral degrees who are younger, minority, and/or female are more likely to be referred to by their first names.  Anecdotally, I’ve found this to be true among my academic colleagues who’ve mentioned this issue.[/quote]

The solution is to not use title at all, not to insist other adults use it.

I do make an exception in the military. But beyond that, no.  [/quote]

Why does the military get an exception?[/quote]

I am the PP who wrote about the military exception. I haven't posted since then, so anything intervening is not me. I make exceptions for the military because in the military, title is not just an honorific but a way of making the organization function, most critically in life-critical roles. In other words, there is a collapsing of the title and job function in a way that makes the system operable, and has impact on life or death situations. Thinking about it, I can think of a few different scenarios where that could be the case: for instance, I could see a rational need to use formal titles in a surgical operating theater, or an emergency room. But certainly not in a college classroom, where it's really just about professorial ego.

I also wonder to an extent if this is geographic in nature. I am in California and I don't run into this insistence on titles often. My doctors, for instance, will often use first names ("Hi, I am John Smith.") I find people who insist on titles from grown adults in non-life-critical situations to be off-putting. Luckily I don't run into it often.  And yes, I call people what they want to be called. I just find the insistence on it to be a bit ridiculous and over the top.

[/quote]

How about clergy?[/quote]

And politicians: Governor, Senator, President? Okay, I wouldn't call the current guy in the oval office Mr President to his face, but in general.

[/quote]

I am the PP. As I said, I will call people what they want, and if a clergy member wants to be Father John or Sister Mary, I will call them that, although I would personally not feel comfortable with a deep religious relationship with someone who insisted on it even for adult to adult relationships. I've known clergy who don't use titles, so it's not universal. In the interest of full disclosure, I know multiple people who were abused by priests as children and my desire to give clergy any sort of pedestal is non-existent.

I don't see why politicians should only be addressed by [b]special titles[/b]. I've met politicians before and I certainly do not think they deserve [b]special treatment[/b]. Frankly most of them could stand to have far less ego. Our world would probably be a better place if they did.[/quote]

What do you mean by "special title" or "special treatment?"

If you meet your senator, at the first time, are you going to call them "Joe" or "Mr. Smith?"[/quote]

DP. Doctors in a medical setting, yes. Academics who have earned their PhD in an academic setting, yes. But politicians? Why? Why not stop there? Do you call your hairdresser Mr or Mrs? If not, why not? I'm guessing your hairdresser does more for you than your senator.[/quote]

I address everyone by last name, unless solely introduced by first name, or if invited otherwise. That includes parents of friends, unless they say "call me Elizabeth."[/quote]

I have a PhD and I’m not calling every random person I meet “Mr” or “Mrs” something. That’s ridiculous. I’m not 5 years old and we don’t live in Germany. In that case they should be calling me “Dr” which I would never expect them to do outside an academic setting.[/quote]

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